Tobacco hogshead



y 1949- H. G. BELL 2,470,459

TOBACCO HOGSHEAD Filed Sept. 27, 1 945 2 Sheets-Sheet l va. 0 a a B 8 49 9 F1 INVENTOR. J Hqrryd Bell.

ATTORNEYS.

TOBACCO HOGSHEAD Fry. 3. v 36 I 3a 5/ J6;

IN V EN TOR.

Harry 6. Bell.

V Y Y TTORNEYS.

Patented May 17, 1949 o ES PATIENT; DFFI cs jTOBAC'QO HOGSHEAD ilia'rryr Guthrie Brill, Paris, assignoritoiGay and BelLxParismK'y a (partnership. composed 1 -otJacoh-Dnnglas-fiay, ,J r., Lexington, and. J 01111 Wilson :Bell andfHerry GuthrielBell, Paris, Ky;

Amfltcaitionfiepteniber 27, 1945, Serial No. 618,939

enlaims. .1

This invention .ztelateslto knock-flown barrels and my present invention {has :ior eits object to provide a structure. which ilends itse'lf to the fabricating of tobacco hogsheads wliiohwareaso constructed that when it :has served its purpose for the shipping :and :storage of tobacco, the heads may beremovedand the body takeniapart to enable said parts to be ishippedjima -:ool1apsed condition for subsequent :reassemb'ly,-. and future use.

Another object of my-invention isto provide a barrel in which the .istaves are reiniorced at their ends, said reinforcement comprising means for cooperation with the barrel heads-which permit theirready insertion and holds them-securely in .place against the internalpressure exerted upon them.

To these and other ends :my invontion comprehends further improvements, all :as #will heidlly described in the accompanying specification, the novel features thereof being set iorth' in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hogshead illustrating one adaptation of -my "present invention.

Figure 2 'is a fragmentary wiew of -one-of'the ends of the barrel with the meeting edges-oi the sections disconnected and showing "the" latch elements for connecting them."

Figure 3 is a similar 'view of the other-side of the barrel showing the hinge-piecesdor connecting the far ends or *the sections shown in Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a plan viewof the-outer'iace drone of the barrel heads.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the end of one of the staves takenon the line Ens-5a: of Fig. 2.

FigureB is a cross sectional view takemon the line Sac-6a: of Fig. 4, illustrating one'of theseveral latch members on-the barrel heads;

Figure 7 is a perspective-'viewofa temporary extension to be used in filling a hogs'head with tobacco.

Figure 8 is a side view showing-the-application of the extension to 'a barrel, and,

Figure 9 is a side elevation showing the details of the interlocking connectionemployed for uniting and drawing togetherthe free endso'f hoop sections.

Similar reference numerals in the several fi'g ures indicate similar parts;

My invention provides a prefabricated barrel which is admirably adapted to be made in thc" size :and :form. required for the "hogsheads used in packing for :shipment .of tobacco inrits :varions iormsnndra'lso iorvits storage during the .aging processtorwhich the tobacco is :subjected. "I 'o theseends'l construct the bodyof the barrel or hogs ."head .inrtwo half .sections, :using suitable detachable connections whereby :they may be separated thus :enabling them 1:0 be flattened when not in use. Th heads are made asseparate elements .and :means are provided onthe body and heads enabling the latter'to be readily applied.

Ini carryingput my invention I construct the bodyof thebarrel of -a plurality of staves l, the .numbenof which depend upon the intended circumferential size of the container which, together with their length, determine its ultimate capacity. Tobacco 'hogsheads are designed to hold approximately 1000 poundsof tobacco and usually require 30 stavesslightly less than *5 inches in width and of a standard length 'of 54 inches. They are bound together with hoops 2 and-3 at their endsand intermediate hoops "4, *5, 1, which are riveted to them. as will be understood. '-Instead of'making these several hoops continuous, 1 divide each ofthem into half sections. The dividing points or parting linesjof the-several hoops are in 'alinement at the two sides of the body-of the barrel. At one side of the -body the proximate endsofthe sections'of each hoop-are connected by hinge membersll and 9 seeFig.-=3) which are connected by pintles 10 which may-eitherbe looseenoughfor withdrawal, orpermanently seemed as the purpose of the hinges is to allow the barrel sections to be .fiattoned or to be "folded-back, one vupon the other, and then flattened. The opposite or :free ends of the hoops-are respectively provided with cooperating latch members for locking them together. Asuitaoleiorm of connection is shown in Fig. 2 and. in detail .in Fig. '9, comprising .a pivoted'bail 15 pivoted to a strap 1 6 and operated by 'athrowcam lever-l1 all mounted on, the end of one-hoopsection, said 'bail being designed to engage over a'snubbingprojection l'B on a strap I9 attached to the corresponding .end of the other hoop section.

A detail added to the last mentioned connection comprises the placing of an easement .18 which is ofjthe same weight .as .the projection 18 which tapers ofi onto the hoop section, as shown in Fig.0. Alsoiin makingthe cam vlever I! I form the side I I which uppermost to vgive it attapersoithat its small end, .whichliesiarthest away'irom -itspivot 'point'lies against the face 3 of the hoop section to which it is attached. The purpose of these two inclines is to facilitate rolling the barrel and also prevent the enlargements on these points on the hoops from possibly damaging the staves of other barrels with which they come in contact.

In barrels of this character the ends of the staves forming the chime often suffer damage in handling due to the weight of a loaded barrel, as for instance in upending the barrel, or from collision with objects when the barrel is being rolled from place to place. In order to protect the ends of the staves I cover or enclose them in U-shaped metal covering pieces having the flat bottoms 2 1. These covering pieces also serve as anchorages for the clips which secure the barrel heads.

One of the important features of my invention comprises the assembly of elements I have provided whereby a barrel head may be inserted and secured after the hogshead has been filled without the use of nails or other means which injure the ends of the staves. Generally described, these securing means embrace inwardly extending abutments on the ends of the staves i and latch members on the barrel head which retractably engage therewith as the head is inserted and spring outwardly beneath said abutments to lock the head.

The abutments which may be placed on each stave, or only on alternate stages, have inner and outer leg portions and 25 which embrace the covering strips 29 and have the ends 27 which lie in close engagement with the corresponding bottoms 2! of the stave reinforcements.

Both of these metal pieces are secured to the staves by rivets 28. On the inner side of the abutment members there are formed inwardly and downwardly extending projections 29 formed by bending the metal upon itself, as shown in Fig. 5, the extremity 30 of which forms a stiff ledge with an inclined upper surface. These surfaces of the several abutments projecting inwardly from the ends of the barrel form in effect a shallow funnel-shaped guide which serves to center the barrel head when first applied.

In making the barrel head 3! it is cut circularly and given a diameter which will easily pass within the boundry formed by several projections or ledges 39. I reinforce this circular piece with an annular metal ring, angular in cross section, having the foot piece 35, which lies against the outer face of the barrel top and carries the upstanding flange 36. In accordance with the number of abutments 30 placed on the body of the barrel I afiix to the barrel head an equal number of inclined spring latch members. These are formed of spring metal, each having base portions 37 which extend beneath the edge of the barrel head and are secured by the rivets 38 which also pass through the foot flange to anchor the reinforcing ring. The spring latches comprise tapered ends of the bases 3'! and are bent upwardly and outwardly from the bottom plane of the barrel head as indicated at 38, to a point somewhat above its upper surface and then bent back upon themselves, their pointed extremities 39 extending through slots in the flange 3B of the reinforcing ring, where they are bent upwardly as indicated at 40, to provide a stop for preventing their withdrawal.

In operation I need only employ one of the barrel heads provided with the latch members described above as the other head may be cut the full diameter of the inner circumference of the barrel. The sections of the latter being joined by the pintles l0 placed in the hinge sections 8 and 9 and connected by the latches l6|8 will be rounded out by the insertion of one of either of the barre1 heads above mentioned. The contents of the barrel being supplied, and if the same is tobacco, it will be hydraulically compressed to a point suihciently to enable the top head to be forced downwardly to enable the spring clips 38 to pass beneath and engage below the abutments 30.

In Figures '7 and 8 I have shown a form of extension for use in filling a hogshead with tobacco. The extension is also made of staves connected in half sections by a sectional top hoop 46 detachably united at their ends. At the bottom the half sections carry a sectional hoop 41 of greater width, the bottom of which forms a flaring skirt 48 which fits over the top edge or chime of the barrel, and automatically rounds it out and holds it in circular form while it is being filled. The skirt of this hoop is provided with a few V-shaped notches 49 to facilitate its being flattened when the sections of the extensions are disconnected.

The various features described are applicable either to barrels in which the staves and head are made of plain sawn boards or of the more expensive plywood, and in the case of either of these materials a structure is provided which is simple in its original construction and subsequent operation. Barrels thus constructed may be disassembled when their function of shipment or storage is ended and readily packed in small compass for return to the place of purchase. It will also be observed that a great saving is effected in this manner of constructing barrels as it readily lends itself to the interchangeability of parts and the repair, if necessary, of individual parts.

I claim:

1. In a container, the combination with a hollow body having side walls, an inwardly extending projection thereon, of a head having an area fitting within the projections, plates of spring metal secured to the bottom of the head at its edges, said plates being tapered and the tapered portions bent upward and outwardly from the periphery of the head to form latches capable of passing said projections when the head is moved inwardly and engaging beneath them to secure the head against outward movement.

2. In a container, the combination with a hollow cylindrical body comprising side walls and open at an end, and projections extending inwardly at said end, of a circular head fitting within the projections, a reinforcing ring on the outer face of the head, spring metal plates on the inner face of the head having portions extending upwardly and outwardly beyond the periphery of the head for locking engagement with said projections and provided with extremities movably interlocked with said ring.

3. In a container, the combination with a hollow cylindrical body comprising side walls and open at an end, projections extending inwardly at said end, and a circular head fitting within the projections, of a reinforcing ring on the outer face of the head having a slotted flange, tapered spring metal plates on the inner face of the head, their tapered ends being bent upwardly and outwardly with relation to the periphery of the head to form latches cooperating with said projections, their extremities being bent inwardly and extending through the slots in the flange of the 1 I18.

4. In a tobacco hogshead, the combination with a body composed of staves, U -shaped metal reinforcements on their ends, hoops overlying said reinforcements, and other U-shaped members also embracing the ends of some of the staves and provided with abutments projecting from the inner sides of said staves, of common securing members passing through the two U-shaped members, the hoop and staves, of a barrel head having a diameter passing within said projections, peripheral latch members on the head capable of passing the projections upon inward movement of the head and cooperating therewith to arrest the movement of the head in the opposite direction.

HARRY GUTHRIE BELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 15 Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hassall Sept. 16, 1879 Knapp Feb. 17, 1885 Hinman Mar. 21, 1899 Alger July 3, 1906 Wittenberg Nov. 3, 1931 Freeman July 25, 1933 Pool Oct. 18, 1938 McAvoy July 2, 1940 McConnell Apr. 21, 1942 McConnell May 1, 1845 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Oct. 13, 1913 

